Xu Jinglei is a well-known actress, director, and one of the most successful and widely-read bloggers in China.

Xu went to South Africa as part of a media trip in the Spring of 2008, after she returned from the trip she published a book called Show Time: Go South Africa with Xu. On her Sina blog she didn't write a lot about the trip, but most of the entries concerned her feelings about the fresh experience of Africa, including what she ate, drank, saw and bought.

Considering her audience of millions, these posts are quite influential.

Highlights:

1. South Africa:

Wireless Internet: after I write something, it gets lost. I'm going crazy. After arriving in South Africa, and staying for one day in Johannesburg, I arrived today in Sun City, and moved into a "castle" that has a very fairytale outside. A time difference of six hours, 18 hours of flying, and I don't know what date it is today, never mind about the day of the week. The weather is great and powerful: the sunlight, blue skies, white clouds, has a radius is of a few hundred li. I'm constantly hungry, I eat many meals a day and I'm still hungry, and I fall asleep as soon as I hit the pillow. There are so many, so many good photos, but due to the current Internet standards, I'll leave it for now. Tired again, again again again. Seeing as the Internet is still stable, I'll go. Goodnight, Beijing.

2. First three photos from Africa

I woke up in the chaos and joy of the speedboat. Yesterday we arrived in Cape Town, and checked into a hotel next to the sea. After countless oysters and glasses of white wine in the evening, everyone was drunk. Big Lemon was drunk: I asked him to sort out the photos, but instead he wanted to show us his PhotoShop skills. So our whole group crowded around his computer to watch his "show". And after the "show", we were all tired ...

Before putting up some photos, I have to thank the South African Embassy in China for this amazing trip. It's great!

3. Today's penguin island, little houses of different colors and the bloody battle at the Africa arts and crafts university

Underneath the cool shade, and in the brightness of the sun, the temperatures are obviously very different. The sun in Africa is indeed different to the sun in other places: when the sun is shining brightly, burning the old feet, put an umbrella up, and it’s rather cool. This kind of place, with nature that came from different relationships, shouldn’t be a place where races are separated － it seems that my education in recalling the past misery and comparing it with my present luxury had not been in vain.

Compared to many people who want to gather in crowds, I like being by myself, to space out. From time to time I like to join in the group of people, but it is most ideal when I'm watching from the sidelines. Just as when I use my camera’s little window to look out, I feel most at one.

4. Wine Manor

Today we were quite free, so we visited the grape gardens at Vergelegen and tasted the wine. There were so many small grapes, which were like small pearls. When we poured water on them, they were jet black and glistened, just like the skin of the our African brothers, healthy and good looking. I also tasted some of the grapes that had been picked, the ones that are for making grapes. They are very, very sweet.